STATEMENT BY AMBASSADOR TACAN İLDEM, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF TURKEY ON THE OFFICIAL NEGOTIATIONS ON THE TRANSNISTRIAN SETTLEMENT 903rd PERMANENT COUNCIL 1 March 2012

Mr. Chairman,

We would like to commend the Irish Chairmanship for its efforts to sustain the positive momentum in the Transnistrian settlement process achieved last year during the previous Lithuanian Chairmanship. We hope that the “5+2” talks held on 28-29 February in Dublin will lay the ground for moving forward in the settlement process.

We are encouraged to hear that as a result of the constructive attitude of the participants, agreement on holding “5+2” meetings in a regular manner throughout the year was reached in the meeting in Dublin. We call on the parties to build on this step to reach an understanding on the principles and procedures for the conduct of negotiations without any delay. We look forward to the next meeting scheduled in the second half of April in Vienna.

The positive development registered in the meeting in Dublin strengthens our hope to see substantial progress being made during this year towards a comprehensive resolution of the conflict. Such headway will not only be instrumental in consolidating peace and stability in Eastern Europe but also inspire vision for the solution of the other protracted conflicts that are dealt by the OSCE.

Finally, I would like to use this opportunity to reiterate our support to the efforts undertaken by the facilitators within the “5+2” format. We hope that these efforts will lead to a lasting solution within the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Moldova.